No Pressure

A few months ago I had grand plans to run two or three half marathons this year.  Then, as I was researching races (and wincing at registration fees), I had a thought.   

I don't want to do this. 

Last year, I was excited to train and sweat and pound and push, but I can feel my body resisting that idea.  I'm feeling good these days, but kinda . . . fritzy.  I understand it's a process to find the "new normal" with hormones, so I don't want to add to it with tight joints and sore muscles.  Right now, inflicting the violence of running seems mean.  At the risk of sounding hoakey and new-agey, I feel I have to honor that. 

With a mileage-free calendar, I have been experimenting with classes and workouts.  I completed eight weeks of Boot Camp H20, which was a lovely and welcome challenge.  As a runner, I was pretty smug about my cardiovascular fitness . . . right up until I was asked to swim the entire length of the pool under water.  People, I am not an amphibian; my lungs are built for land.  The first time, I had to come up for air three or four times.  By the last class, I came up for air once.  I was also able to do a minute and a half of pull ups, in the water, off the starting blocks.  Certainly easier than pull ups on land, but as a member of the Scarred Elementary Students asked to "stop straining and just sit back down before the vein in your head pops" during those abhorrent fitness tests, it counts.  You better believe it counts. 

Yoga has been a staple the last few months as well.  I could certainly expound on the mental and physical benefits of yoga, but I'm currently loving it because of the instructor that stays just this side of inappropriate when he reminds us, in a breathy somewhat lecherous tone, to "go deepeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer."  It makes me laugh, which reminds me that there is room for amusement and joy during moments of exertion and unbalance.  That's just life.

I'm thinking a triumphant return to Spinning could be next, with a few Zumba classes sprinkled in.  I watch So You Think You Can Dance every summer and it reminds me how much I love to shake my untrained, less-than-coordinated groove thang. 

I do sigh longingly when I see those sweaty runners on our neighborhood streets.  This is reassurance that the need to run will return in time.  But, for now . . . no pressure. 

In other news, the highly anticipated juicer arrived yesterday.  More to come on that, but here's a sneak peek . . .

Armload of awesome.